Thursday, December 30, 2010

Ain’t No Saguaro in Texas

I never thought I would get the opportunity to quote the Reverend Horton Heat here on danger garden; but it just goes to show you never know who might be a defender of the spiky plants.

The Rev is performing tonight here in Portland and our local newspaper had an article/interview in the Arts and Entertainment section last week. What caught my eye is a title on their latest album, a song called “Ain’t No Saguaro in Texas.” When asked by the interviewer, Ed Condran, the Rev explains… “That song is one that someone had to write. The saguaro cactus grows in Arizona. But you see pictures of them in places all over Texas. I remember being in a restaurant somewhere in Texas, and what did I see? I see a picture of a saguaro. People think that cactus is in Texas, but it's not. It's because of Hollywood, which thinks anything (east) of Palm Springs is Texas. You see old films and what is supposed to be Texas, and there's a saguaro. My cousin is a botanist and loves the song. I had to right the wrong.”

The Reverend Horton Heat, setting the record straight.

Sadly the only photo I have of a Saguaro is the one above, taken from the car window as we sped along the freeway (in Arizona, of course). I love how they look like an army of cacti marching across the hills.

I guess I could also share a photo of my Saguaro glass, part of my vintage Arizona Cactus dinnerware collection. Note: Arizona Cactus…not Texas Cactus. It says so right on the glasses and plates. The Rev is right.

10 comments:

Great post! In NM, we see saguaros on various design motifs some, but less than the state bird, the roadrunner! Then again, roadrunners are our state, but they mostly live only in warmer parts, not much "colder" than Albuquerque.

Thanks for setting the record straight! A song with a message about botanical geographical correctness--gotta love it! Now will someone please write the "There's no native palm in coastal California" song. Several million people need to get their attitudes adjusted.

Never thought I'd hear RHH mentioned on a garden blog! Did you go to the show? I'm happy to hear they are still playing, we played their music a ton back in the 90s, some of those lyrics are stuck in my head still (Liquor, Beer and Wine, F-ed Up Ford, etc). Glad he is setting the record straight right along with you in spiky plant land. Happy New Year!

I revel in finding flawed movie and TV landscapes. You would think they would try to crop out palm tree images when a scene is set in Chicago or anywhere else they don't grow. I once watched a bit of an episode of JAG, which has scenes set here in Norfolk. It showed treeless mountains and desert in the background of a shot, both of which are nowhere near.

ricki, I wish I could say we use it everyday, but alas it's my "special occasion" dinnerware.

Desert Dweller, ah yes the familiar issue of a state symbol that really only applies to part of the state. Take Washington for example...on the license plates and state quarter design...Mt Rainer. The state flower...the Rhododendron. Both of these things are west side of the state features not found in the eastern 1/2.

James, several million attitudes might take more than a song.

Thanks Pam.

Grace, it's true!

Whimsical Gardener, and rainy Oregon wishes back to you.

Karen, another RHH fan!? No I didn't go to the show. Honestly I don't think I would have enjoyed it as much as I used to!

Les, I think there is a book out there dedicated to this sort of thing isn't there?

I have 5 plates and 7 glasses that match the ones in your picture. They belonged to my grandparents that lived in Phoenix during the 1950's and early 1960's. I would love to sell them to somebody that could use them. My email is vknecht@yahoo.com If you're interested let me know.